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Washington, D.C. – The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR)
expresses its concern over the violent death of at least 13 persons at the
Center for Social Re-adaptation for Adults (CERESO) No. 1 of the city San
Luis Potosí, capital of the State of the same name, in Mexico. The IACHR
urges the State of Mexico to implement the necessary measures to prevent the
repetition of similar incidents, and to investigate and punish the
perpetrators.

According to information of the Attorney General’s Office of the State,
13 inmates died and 65 were injured in a violent confrontation at the CERESO
No. 1 (“La Pila”) of San Luis Potosí. According to Government sources, the
fight took place when a group of inmates, tired of the harassment from
another group, violently entered in the areas where these were sleeping.
According to journalistic reports, the authorities allegedly had knowldege
of the existence of tensions between both groups.

In view of these facts, the IACHR reiterates that States, as guarantors
of the rights of persons deprived of liberty, have the fundamental
obligation to ensure the control and internal security of prisons. Proper
control by the authorities of internal order inside prisons is an essential
condition in order to guarantee the human rights of persons deprived of
liberty.

Likewise, States have the obligation to investigate, on its own
initiative and with due diligence, all deaths of persons under its custody.
These investigations must not only aim to establish the material
perpetrators of the crimes, but also the possible intellectual authors, and
any degree of responsibility that the authorities might have, either by
action or omission.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States
(OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American
Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to
promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative
body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven
independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS
General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or
residence.